[pooger]

Hey guys, starting about 2-3 weeks ago I've been getting quite a few dropped calls when driving and talking on the phone. I'd say about once every 10 minutes. I have been using .423 for over a month now so it's not an issue with the operating system.

I live in the Los Angeles area and I'm on AT&T. I have 3G turned on. I called and told customer service and they asked me to try changing sims at a corporate store. Do you think that would have any effect?

They also told me they have a known problem with their 3G in the area as well.

When I'm not driving, I still get some calls dropped but it's much much rarer. I'd say once every 5 days.

[Scones2]

Thats strange, I was in the Los Angeles area recently (about a week ago) and my phone was working fine. I have a 9000 on ATT as well. Maybe its a problem as your phone switches from 3G to EDGE? I know that my phone drops calls when going from 3G to edge about 1 in 4 times.

Try going to just EDGE and see if the dropped calls persist. It sucks, I know but I guess thats the price we pay for using this stupid company.

[pooger]

Oh I forgot to mention and your post reminds me.

When the call fails I look at my phone immediately and it's at 3G with full bars. It *looks* like the 3G connection is never dropping. The call is just failing. I can't say that it's because it's dropping 3G.

I guess I refuse to change it to EDGE because I bought the phone for 3G. I'd rather change companies than turn off 3G. I guess I plan to just live with it or complain until I can change carriers.

[berrynetime]

I have the same experience as well in regards to calls dropping and my phone showing full or near full bars. I read somewhere either in this forum or online that signal bar strength is not an accurate representation of service quality in regards to call drops or data quality. My experience has been signal strength is not a problem for me, but quality of signal when using it has been very inconsistent or terrible. I spoke to an AT&T service rep about this and they're only response was "our maps show that you have high to excellent signal strength so you shouldn't be experiencing dropped calls." Well regardless of the bars on my phone I get drop calls at about the rate of 1 in 3 calls. Unfortunately, I've had it with AT&T service and am currently shopping Verizon plans/phones to make the jump. It'll cost me in ETF, but if I'm going to be paying $100 a month on service, I gotta believe there is better service than this.

[Chaldo]

Try going to a corp store and changing your SIM also tell them to backup everything on your sim to the new sim (contacts etc) this was happening to me and once I got a new sim it fixed the problem. There is one batch of sims that was known to cause these issues and they changed them a couple months ago I think. So I would go try to change your sim card out.

[berryite]

Hey guys, starting about 2-3 weeks ago I've been getting quite a few dropped calls when driving and talking on the phone. I'd say about once every 10 minutes.

AT&T's service in the City of Angels is terrible. The L.A. TImes and the Orange County Register both have written uncomplementary reviews of AT&T.

On a bigger scale, Consumer Reports just rated AT&T as the worst carrier in the nation ... several years running now.

I used to use AT&T but the service was so bad I had to change carriers.

[Xpimp]

On a bigger scale, Consumer Reports just rated AT&T as the worst carrier in the nation ... several years running now.

But on an even bigger scale is it really hurting them with these reports? To put it frankly it isn't, not even a dent. And you can go back quarter by quarter at the results to see they aren't. No one is leaving in droves, or more recently with the attack ads between VZW and AT&T in the 4th Qtr of 09 between these two. They both did very well numbers wise. All I'm saying is Consumer reports mean nothing.

[berryite]

But on an even bigger scale is it really hurting them with these reports?

Consumer Reports
CNet
L.A. Times
Orange County Register

They all can't be wrong.

You and I both know that AT&T's numbers have more to do with the Apple iPhone than anything else. I live two blocks from an Apple Store and no one goes in that store looking to get an iPhone with the objective of signing up with AT&T. You and I also know that for the average Joe to get an iPhone, they have to sign up with AT&T.

So let's keep it real. AT&T is a mediocre company with a mediocre network. If it weren't for Steve Jobs, AT&T's subscribers WOULD BE leaving in droves because the simple facts are that both Verizon and T-Mobile are better carriers than AT&T. And we have Consumer Reports, CNet, L.A. Times, Orange Country Register and dozens of others who have done the objective research.

If AT&T works for you, that's terrific. Some people probably think that Bernie Madoff is a good financial advisor. But for the most part, the average AT&T customer would be better off with a different carrier.

[mocean]

I agree with all of the above. ATT is terrible. They rip off consumers smiling all the way to the bank. They've offered to upgrade my broken Bold (still under warranty) if I just fork over another $299 for a new phone or, they'll send me a replacement Bold for free with a 90 day warranty, which will certainly break again in the 4th month. My company got 1 year warranties on our Bolds. I get 90 days.

Bye-bye ATT, hello T-Mobile. T-Mobile acknowledged the speaker defect in the Bold and upgraded a co-worker to the 9700 for $45.

ATT is the worst in corp greed, usery and service to its customers.

[Chaldo]

AT&T works fine for me, but part of the problem is they have more advanced technology and the spectrum isn't enough to split between GSM and 3G. I personally think AT&T needs to stop selling GSM only phones now and start pushing 3G required devices because if they can pull some spectrum from 2G to 3G their 3G network will work very well. I know AT&T started even putting a 3rd channel on some 3G towers that will help capacity but I seriously think AT&T will look more into their network this year then ever before.

Also: Greed? Dude Verizon wins on that chart before AT&T and you know that.. crippling devices, no wifi till now on phones, 350 dollar etf, requiring data on almost every decent phone now.. come on that's pure greed way more then AT&T at least.

[berryite]

ATT is the worst in corp greed, usery and service to its customers.

Pretty much says it all.

[berryite]

Also: Greed? Dude Verizon wins on that chart before AT&T and you know that.. crippling devices, no wifi till now on phones, 350 dollar etf, requiring data on almost every decent phone now.. come on that's pure greed way more then AT&T at least.

Verizon does charge healthy prices. There is no doubt about that. And your comments about phone crippling are certainly spot on.

But there are differences between Verizon and AT&T. Important differences. Verizon actually invests in their network. Serious investment. Not just "get by" investment. AT&T's network (voice and data) have been a joke in Los Angeles for over a decade. It doesn't take you a decade to clean up your act in the nation's 2nd largest city. AT&T is a greedy, non-responsive company who frequently plays foot loose with the truth. You must remember the ads where AT&T claimed they had the least dropped calls of any carrier? Total lie. Their own subscribers started a class-action lawsuit against them.

Then we have the issue of the fact that year in and year out, AT&T is rated as the worst mobile carrier in the nation by Consumer Reports. That is shameful. For a company the size of AT&T to continue to get these horrible ratings is simply unacceptable. And why do they continue to get these horrible ratings? They only invest what they must in their network. The Verizon ads are not lying when they paint a picture of spotty blue splatches across the USA while Verizon has most of the country covered in red. Verizon's network is far better than AT&T's.

Now keep in mind, I don't use Verizon so I'm no Verizon sycophant. Just interested in the truth here. And the truth is that both Verizon and T-Mobile have better networks than AT&T. Consumer Reports says so. CNet says so. And common sense says so.

Verizon might be expensive. But they are putting their profits back into building their network. And there is no doubt that Verizon has the overall best network in the USA today. Followed by T-Mobile. Followed by Sprint. And in last place ... AT&T.

[berrynetime]

To add onto berryite's point on expensive. I just did a comparison and there is no difference in cost between Verizon and AT&T given the plan & features I have. $100 either way. I think for most people they will find the cost to be the same as well. Neither AT&T or VZW are discount service providers. They are both on the more pricey side of the service spectrum. Unfortunately, service is not equal between the 2 giants, in both perception and in most cases reality. Now if AT&T charged less for their service, I would have less to be upset about. It's just frustrating that I can get more reliable service for the same price somewhere else.

BTW, I am not on VZW, but rather AT&T. I've had their service for almost 2 years and have had a very dissappointing experience in regards to service. I DO plan to switch once my contract is up. I DO NOT recommend AT&T service to anyone living in SF, LA or NYC as I split most of my time between those cities. I have only myself to blame as I was lured into switching to AT&T for the latest Blackberry and what I percieved was reliable service. I do feel that AT&T generally has the best phones out in the market, but a great phone is only as good as the network that supports it. If I have to take a couple steps back in terms of phone technology in order to have reliable service, then that is what I will do.

Hope this helps anyone shopping for a service provider.

[berryite]

I DO NOT recommend AT&T service to anyone living in SF, LA or NYC as I split most of my time between those cities.

I agree. I've had great luck with T-Mobile in all those areas. I'd recommend either T-Mobile or Verizon. I find T-Mobile and Verizon are about on par in LA and T-Mobile offers GSM service and the best prices so I'm sticking with T-Mobile. If T-Mobile didn't exist, I'd use Verizon. If neither T-Mobile or Verizon existed, I'd probably go without mobile service.

The combination of AT&T's bad service and their rude customer service department have ruined them for life for me. I'd go without mobile before I'd use AT&T.

[pooger]

Update: I went into a corporate store and changed out my sim but it doesn't seem to have helped. Thanks for the suggestion.

[berryite]

All I'm saying is Consumer reports mean nothing.

Add another one to the list.

Business Week has a new edition out with yet another critical review of AT&T's broken network.

So ...

1.) Consumer Reports
2.) CNet
3.) L.A. Times
4.) Orange County Register
5.) Business Week

And the list keeps on growing.

[berrynetime]

The evidence or data is pretty significant out there. Mulitple news sources cite issues of network complaints with AT&T. In my casual surfing of service provider forums, there seems to be much more complaints about the AT&T network then the others. Now I understand that AT&T and VZW have the largest subscriber base in the US, but I still see more vocal complaints about the AT&T network than Verizon's. Now, there could be at least 2 reasonable explanations. One, AT&T just happens to have a more vocal subscriber base(iPhone users?) when it comes to network reliability/performance or AT&T's network does have more problems than other carriers. If the former is true, then AT&T just has bad luck with its customers. If the not, then there is very substantial evidence that AT&T has made a terrible mistake in not building a network that addresses the complaints of many of it's user base. Also, if AT&T's mistake was in underestimating the usage of high data phones (iPhone), it still does not warrant sympathy from it's users base. Invest in your network, don't punish users for using what you advertised to them. Fastest network? Who cares, if I can't maintain or find a signal.

[berryite]

The evidence or data is pretty significant out there. Mulitple news sources cite issues of network complaints with AT&T.

Indeed you are right.

The latest edition of Business Week has a front-cover story ripping AT&T for their broken network and profiling the growing unrest with their subscriber base.

The days of AT&T pulling all their profits out of the company at the cost of building out their network are catching up with them.

Verizon isn't lying. AT&T's network is a patchwork of "what ever it takes just to get by" so they can take money out of the company rather than reinvest is starting to show and show in ways that are creating mass dissatisfaction with the AT&T customer base.

Business Week. Latest edition. Catch it. A story that needs to be told that is definitely not going to make AT&T's execs happy.

[ace587]

I was in SoCal 6 months ago. I had decent service with AT&T, but my calls were half-rate codec. I would have to say AT&T definitely needs to invest more in its network

[Chaldo]

It is AT&T is investing 2 Billion more this year

AT&T Investing $2B More in Its Mobile Network in 2010 - Tonic

Also I hear they are adding a 3rd capacity section on their towers. I think 2010 will be better then 09 for AT&T, yes there are problems but I am sure they will get around to fixing them and one thing that is going to help them is how they upgraded the software to HSPA 7.2. So now when they are getting the backhaul in people can enjoy greater speeds and more bandwidth. I think the reason why Apple sticked with AT&T is because their network is GSM/UMTS and dominate technology also they dont want to build a cdma iPhone. One more reason is I don't think they like it how Verizon bashed their phone with the droid commercials etc.

So I think you guys should see a more positive year with AT&T this year.

[markymark34]

Also work all across the SoCal area from OC to the IE to Ventura to Bakersfield.

Just recently switched over from VZW because my company said so (9700) ...and I have experienced more dropped calls in 1 month than I have over the two years I was VZW. I'm on my second phone, 4th SIM card, and have the latest OS...

To top that off data speeds are much slower than compared to other BB devices on VZW (Tour & Curve tested side by side with the 9700 in several different areas across SoCal and Vegas)...Makes me want to slap Luke in the face!

The only good part on this deal is that i have a new cool looking blackberry but is not really doing a good job being a blackberry.

[berryite]

I'm on my second phone, 4th SIM card, and have the latest OS...

AT&T will alibi and claim there are 1000 other reasons that the service is terrible. They'll blame your phone, they'll blame SIM cards, they'll blame your OS, they'll even blame you. But they'll never admit to the fact that their network is horrible.

I could never maintain a call on Wilshire Boulevard. If I needed to make a 911 call, I'd go looking for a payphone because AT&T's service was so hateful.

Years later the situation remains as bad. I have friends on AT&T and they continue to have the same issues. AT&T simply funnels all their profits off and only invests what they must into their network. Their service is terrible.

If my only choice for mobile was AT&T, I'd go without.

[besthaticouldo]

i can honestly say i've never had a problem, even with my symbian phones before my 2 bbs...i've had at&t since it was cingular.

[berryite]

i can honestly say i've never had a problem, even with my symbian phones before my 2 bbs...i've had at&t since it was cingular.

Read the latest edition of Business Week magazine. It will help you understand how your carrier isn't investing in their network and why so many AT&T customers are spitting mad at AT&T for failing to deliver on their (many) promises.

[amojeba]

Welcome to AT&T